Portable extension-ladder.



W. H. BEAM.

PORTABLE EXTENSION LADDER.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 10, 1910.

9 7%,738. Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

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W. H. BEAM.

PORTABLB EXTENSION LADDER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1910.

9 74,738 Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

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WILLIAM H. BEAM, OF PURCELL, OKLAHOMA.

PORTABLE EXTENSION-LADDER.

To all whom it may concern:

13c it known that I, \VILLIAM H. BEAM, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Purcell, in the county of McClain and State of Oklahoma, have invented new and useful Improvements in Portable EX- tension-Ladders, of which the following is a speclfication.

This invention relates to portable extension ladders, and particularly to that type of ladder which is designed for use especially in connection with fire fighting apparatus, and the primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a portable tl'llCK upon which is mounted for horizontal movement a ladder support so that the ladder can be accurately positioned with respect to the building on which it is used.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an extension ladder, the same being formed from a plurality of companion sections which are slidable on each other and actuated through the medium of a controlling cable or equivalent flexible or other suitable element and operated by suitable motive power on the truck.

In the drawings, forming a portion of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views :Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of my improved ladder. Fig. 2 is a detail front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the ladder support and the revolubly mounted member on which it is mounted. Fig. 4 is a detail elevation with parts in section of the cable-controlling or actuating drum.

My improved apparatus consists preferably of a wheeled truck 1 or other equivalent portable structure on which is permanently mounted a tower-like frame 2 which supports a horizontally disposed circular member 3 which is apertured at its center to re ceive the upper extremity of a hollow shaft 4-. This shaft is secured in any suitable manner to what may be termed a support or turn-table 5. This turn-table is provided with a peripheral flange 6 which extends partly over the peripheral edge of the member 3 and it is disposed in alinement with the vertical flange 7 of an angle-iron plate 8 and secured thereto by fastening devices 9. Suitable antifriction bearing bodies 10 are disposed between portions of the angle-iron Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 10, 1910.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910. Serial No. 543,049.

plate and the said support or turn-table respectively as shown particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The shaft 4: is journaled at its lower end in a bearing 11 on the frame 2 and immediately above the said bearing, the said shaft has fixed thereto a gear wheel 12 which meshes with a pinion 13 on a countershaft 1 1 which latter is suitably journaled on the frame 2. The shaft 1 1 is provided with a loose gear wheel. 15 which is formed with a clutch element 16 to be engaged by a sliding clutch element 17 on the shaft 141:. A rack 18 is supported by the frame 2 and pivoted thereto is an operating lever 19 whose forward end is operatively connected with. the sliding clutch element 17, and as shown, the opposite end of the lever has pivoted thereto an actuating member 20 for the locking dog 21. It will of course be understood that the lever 19 can be operated to cause the dog 21 to engage the rack bar to hold the sliding clutch element in its adjusted position. The shaft 22 which is located in parallel relation to the shaft 14: carries .a gear member which is provided with a toothed surface 23 and with a similar surface 2 l, the former being in mesh with the gear 15 and the latter in mesh with a loose gear 25 on a shaft 26. The shaft 26 is provided with a sliding clutch element 27 which may be engaged with a clutch element 28 in order that the gear 25 can rotate with its supporting shaft. Movement of the clutch element 27 may be obtained through the controlling lever 29 which is substantially identical in construction with the lever 19 hereinbefore described. A driving shaft 30 is supported by the truck 1 and power may be supplied thereto through the medium of any well known and approved motor, not shown. The drive shaft 30 is provided with a bevel pinion 31 which meshes with a similar pinion 32 on the shaft 22 so that the latter can be directly driven thereby to operate at the will of the operator of the apparatus the shafts 14 and 26 respectively.

A shaft 33 has its lower end journaled upon the truck 1 and as illustrated, this shaft extends upwardly and through the hollow shaft 4 and at its upper extremity it is provided with a bevel pinion 3 1 for a purpose to presently appear. The turntable or support 5 is provided with bearing brackets 35 in "which is journaled a shaft slidably connected with each other in the manner described or in any other well known mechanical manner. The shaft 36 has mounted thereon a gear segment 41 which meshes with the pinion 34 on the shaft 33. The shaft 33 is provided with a gear wheel 42 which meshes with a suitable gear wheel 43 on the shaft 26. From the construction described it will be apparent that when the clutch element 27 is operatively engaged with the element 28 the shaft 26 maybe rotated and power therefrom can be transmitted to the shaft 33 and the power from the said shaft 33 will be transmitted to the gear segment 41 to actuate the shaft 36 and to obtain the desired angular adjustment of the channel-iron members 37.

A horizontal shaft 44 is journaled on the frame 2 and at one end it carries a loose bevel pinion 45 nvhich meshes with the pinion 46 of-a driving shaft 47. Power may be transmitted to the shaft 47 through the provision of the intermeshing gears 48 and 49 on the shafts 47 and 30 respectively. The pinion 45 is provided with a clutch element 50 which is adapted to be engaged by a similar clutch element 51 which is slidably mounted on the shaft 44. The desired sliding movement of the clutch element 51 may be obtained through the provision of an actuating lever 52. The shaft 44 carries a bevel pinion 53 which meshes with the lower toothed surface 54 of a gear member This member is mounted on the shaft 4 to revolve independently thereof and as illustrated it is provided with an upper toothed surface 56 which meshes with bevel pinions 57 at the inner end of drums 58. The shafts 59 of the herein described drums are preferably mounted in bearings 60 on the shaft 4.

The ladders herein described and shown are provided at their ends with pulleys 61 over which and over similar pulleys 62 on the channel-iron members 37 are passed operating cables 63. These cables are operatively connected with the drums 58 so that when they are revolved the ladder sections may be extended as is obvious, it being understood, however, that the outermost terminals of the controlling cables 63 are suitably fixed to one end of the outermost ladder.

It will of course be understood that the truck 1 can be propelled by any suitable motive power and I do not desire to limit myself in such respect. The construction herein illustrated is such that power may be conveniently and quickly transmitted to the shaft 4 to first obtain the desired angular adjustment thereof, after which the power may be applied to the shaft 33 to obtain the desired angular adjustment relative to the truck 1 of the extension ladder. Finally power may be transmitted to the drums 58 to wind thereon the controlling cable to extend the ladders as desired.

I claim l. A portable extension ladder comprising a support, a revolubly mounted member carried by the support, a driving shaft, a hollow shaft supporting the said member, a shaft extending through the hollow shaft, a frame mounted on the member for angular adjustment and geared to the third named shaft, a ladder supported by the frame, and geared connections bet-ween the drive shaft and the said first and the second named shafts operative to independently revolve the said shafts.

2. A portable extension ladder comprising a support, a revolubly mounted member on said support, a driving shaft, a hollow shaft supporting the said member, a shaft extending through the said hollow shaft, a frame mounted on the member for angular adjustment and geared to the third named shaft, an extension ladder supported by the frame, a loose gear mounted on the hollow shaft, drums supported by the hollow shaft and geared to the gear on said hollow shaft, means for independently revolving the second and third named shafts, and driving connections between the drum and the said driving shaft.

3. A portable extension ladder comprising a support, a revolubly mounted member carried by the support, a shaft supporting the said member, a frame mounted on the member for angular adjustment, an extension ladder supported by the frame, revolubly mounted drums supported by the shaft and operatively connected with the said ladder, a loose gear supported by the shaft and geared to the drums, means for rotating the shaft, and means for rotating the drums.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. BEAM.

\Vitnesses JAMES A. KoEHL, BENNETT S. Jones. 

